Expected Absentees, New Carmakers At 2018 Auto Expo

At the 14th edition of India’s biggest automotive exhibition, expect some major carmakers to not show up and three new players to flaunt their potential offerings

The 2018 Auto Expo is scheduled to run for six days, starting from February 9 to February 14, 2018. This biennial event is not only the biggest automotive exhibition that India hosts, but also acts a platform for many companies to showcase their products to a fast-growing automotive industry. This time around though, there are some big carmakers that are expected to give it a miss, while three new players are expected to flaunt their offerings.

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. The first name which is most likely to ditch the 2018 Auto Expo is Chevrolet. Although the company is still manufacturing products in its only plant in Talegaon, near Pune, it will stop selling products in India from December 31, 2017. Thereon, the production hub will cater to international markets only.

Next in line is the Volkswagen Group, primarily Audi, Skoda and the parent company itself. The trio is expected to skip the event because the return on investment isn’t enough to keep their account registers happy. Based on the same lines, other carmakers like Nissan and Ford are also likely to be absent at the 2018 Auto Expo.

Over to the good news now. We’ve seen several developments taking place for three new automakers who are in the process of setting up shop on our shores in the near future. These are - the PSA Groupe (Peugeot), SAIC (MG) and Kia Motors. French carmaker Peugeot has joined hands with CK Birla Group and has even bought the rights to the iconic ‘Ambassador’ marque. 

Chinese auto giant SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation) is expected to introduce products under the British car marque MG (Morris Garages). Its Indian website went live recently, giving a glimpse into the company’s history. Another Asian carmaker that is likely to showcase its products at the event is South Korean Kia Motors. With its products expected to undercut Hyundai products in India, the company has been busy roaming around the country to get dealers on-board.

The Auto Expo always throws up some surprises and while we are ready for some omissions and additions, there could be more names that could expand either of those two categories. Do let us know which car or brand you are looking forward to.

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